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Places of
interest in the East of Iceland.
On the
east coast of Iceland are many places that I can
recommend visiting. Information on some of them can be
found on this page.
MJOIFJORDUR.
Probably one of the best kept secret
amongst the eastern fjords is Mjoifjordur.
The small friendly
village in Mjóifjörður is called Brekkuþorp. A road
exits over Mjóafjarðarheiði heath and Slenjudalur valley
to Fljósdalshérað.
There are hiking trails from Mjóifjörður
to both of the next fjords, Seyðisfjörður and
Norðfjörður.
LANGANES
is a large and long peninsula to the east of the
Thistilfiord Bay. The undulating landscape, 200-400 m
high, gradually narrows to a sharp point called
Fontur.
The highest mountain, Mt. Gunnolfsvikurfjall, dominates
the landscape on the Gunnolf's Cove. On top of that
mountain the NATO forces built a radar station, and
operated it between 1954 and 1969. Its ruins commemorate
Iceland's part in the history of the Cold War period.
Another radar facility was built there and started
operation in 1989.
The Eastern Fjords.
The boundaries of the East are drawn between
the
towns Bakkafiord to The National Park Skaftafell.
There are 15 fjords with small towns in the east. These
fjords are surrounded my mountains and one can find many
places for hiking, camping, and mountain climbing in
this area. All these villages have good camping grounds
and other forms of accommodations
Borgarfjorður Eystri.
Probably one
of the most spectacular and interesting place on the
east part of Iceland is the area around Borgarfjordu
Eystri, a small village surrounded by fascinating
landscape and mystic stories.
The Door Mountains
(Dyrfjoll) tower over the plain
and coast,
which both build on sand from black basalt.
Huge blocks of tuff
from a former volcanic depression, or caldera, have
collapsed
from between the glacier-flanked peaks, covering the
protected valley
Storurd (Stórurð).
marked hiking trails.
In recent years, natives have started to call the
extended hiking region between the inhabited
fjords of Seydisfjordur and Borgarfjordur Viknaslodir,
"trails of the coastal inlets."
Here there are plenty of hideaways for the
hiker, along with mountains, streams and seabirds.
Many hillsides include colorful rhyolite and beautiful
rocks.
This rocky hill, right next to Bakkagerði, is source of
the fjord's name. Acknowledged home to the fairies, it
is said to be the dwelling-place of their queen in
Iceland. An easy path leads to the top, where there is a
panoramic viewpoint, set up by a society of the fjord's
descendants now living in Reykjavík. Álfaborg and
environs are protected national property.
Directly to their west lies the village campground.
HERDUBREID.
A table-mountain, regular in form and 1677 m high,
dominating the surrounding area in the eastern part of
the lava field Odadahraun. Herdubreid is commonly
referred to as the "queen of Icelandic mountains".
Dalatangi
Is the outermost point between Mjóifjörður and
Seyðisfjörður fjords. There is a farm there, along with
a lighthouse first built in 1895.
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